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Poem at a Glance
Poet:
Bryanna T. Perkins
Form:
Lyric poem, 3 stanzas, 4 lines each
Rhyme:
Loose ABCB per stanza
Theme:
Music as healer, lifter, and loyal friend
Key Subjects
- Music as an ocean (pulls and moves her)
- Music as therapy (heals sadness)
- Music lifts spirits in hard times
- Music as a needed friend when alone
Key Vocabulary
- shore — edge where sea meets land
- core — the deepest inside part
- therapy — treatment that heals
- spirits — mood, energy level
- pull through — to survive a hard time
- cheerful — happy and bright
Three Lines Every Exam Answer Should Have
- The poet uses extended metaphor — music as ocean, therapy, and friend — to show how deeply music affects her.
- Music helps both in sad times (‘feel blue’) and happy times (‘most cheerful’), showing it is always present.
- The repetition of ‘Music is’ creates a musical rhythm that mirrors what the poem celebrates.
Music as an Irresistible Force
Music pulls the poet like an ocean. She does not choose to be attracted to music — music draws her in naturally . This shows the overwhelming power of music in her life.
Music as Emotional Healing
Music is the poet’s therapy . It cures her sadness, lifts her mood, and gives her strength to survive hard times. Music heals what words and people cannot always heal .
Music as a Loyal Friend
Music is present in both happy and sad moments. When no one else cares , music is there. This makes music the most reliable and needed companion in the poet’s life.
Universal Appeal of Music
Although the poet speaks personally, her feelings are universal . Almost every person has experienced music lifting their mood or comforting them in tough times. This poem speaks for everyone .
| Element | Details |
|---|---|
| Tone of Poet | Passionate, grateful, and personal — the poet speaks from her heart with deep love for music |
| Mood in Stanza 1 | Energetic and uplifting — music is an exciting, powerful force |
| Mood in Stanza 2 | Comforting and hopeful — music heals and helps her survive |
| Mood in Stanza 3 | Warm and touching — music is a loyal friend, always present |
| Overall Mood | Thoughtful and uplifting — the reader feels the comfort and power of music |
| Rhyme Scheme | ABCB in each stanza — only lines 2 and 4 rhyme in each stanza: shore/core, blue/through, there/care |
| Rhythm | Smooth and flowing; reads like a personal song or diary entry; the repetition of ‘Music is the’ gives a steady beat |
| Symbol | What it Represents |
|---|---|
| Ocean | Something vast, deep, and unstoppable; the overwhelming power of music |
| Shore | The poet herself; the place music always reaches |
| Rhythm | The heartbeat of music; its ability to connect with our own inner rhythm |
| Core | The deepest part of a person’s soul and emotions |
| Therapy | Healing; medicine; the idea that music treats emotional pain |
| Blue | Sadness and low mood; a feeling of depression |
| Spirits | Inner energy and emotional state; what gets lifted when you feel better |
| Needed friend | Unconditional support; someone (music) who is always loyal |
Metaphor
Plain definition: A metaphor directly says that one thing is another thing to show a shared quality.
Everyday example: “Time is money” means time is valuable.
Use in this poem: The poem uses “Music is the ocean” , “Music is the rhythm” , “Music is the therapy” , and “Music is the needed friend” to show music as powerful, deep, healing, and supportive.
Repetition / Anaphora
Plain definition: Repetition means using the same word or phrase again to make an idea stronger.
Everyday example: “Try, try again” repeats a word to stress effort.
Use in this poem: The words “Music is” appear again and again to show that music is central to the poet’s feelings.
Personification
Plain definition: Personification gives human qualities to a non-human thing or idea.
Everyday example: “The wind whispered” gives the wind a human action.
Use in this poem: The line “Music is the needed friend” gives music the human quality of a caring companion.
Imagery
Plain definition: Imagery uses words that help readers form a picture, sound, or feeling in the mind.
Everyday example: “The cold rain tapped on the window” creates a sound and touch image.
Use in this poem: The words “ocean” and “shore” create a visual image, while “lifts my spirits” creates an emotional image.
Idiom
Plain definition: An idiom is a fixed expression whose meaning is different from the literal meanings of its words.
Everyday example: “Break the ice” means to start a friendly conversation, not to break real ice.
Use in this poem: The phrase “feel blue” means to feel sad, and “pull through” means to survive a difficult time.
Rhyme Scheme
Plain definition: A rhyme scheme is the pattern of rhyming sounds at the ends of lines.
Everyday example: In a four-line stanza, if only lines 2 and 4 rhyme, the pattern can be ABCB .
Use in this poem: Each stanza follows ABCB because lines 2 and 4 rhyme: shore/core , blue/through , and there/care .
